LAUSR

Key Points Question Do registered trials that evaluate the use of probiotics and routinely used antibiotics in children differ in their publication rates? Findings This cross-sectional analysis of 265 unique probiotic trials and 136 unique antibiotic trials in the ClinicalTrials.gov registry found that among registered trials conducted in children, probiotic trials are less likely to be published than antibiotic trials after adjustment for funding source, presence of blinding, and study purpose. No other evaluated study characteristics were independently associated with publication status in the regression model. Meaning These findings suggest that pediatric probiotic trials may be more prone to selective publication compared with pediatric antibiotic trials; therefore, meta-analyses and systematic reviews of probiotics must be interpreted cautiously.